Conveying apparatuses for shelf channels of shelf storage facilities of the kind discussed herein usually comprise two circulating conveying means arranged parallel to each other by means of which the goods in the particular shelf channels can be loaded and also unloaded again. The conveying means are not driven, but are displaced by an unloading vehicle, for instance a fork lift truck, upon loading and unloading the goods. Usually, one half of the conveying means is designed as a roller chain or a support roller chain, while the other half consists of a rope that interconnects the chain to a continuously circulating conveying means. Such a design lowers the costs and saves weight as compared to a conveying means that is entirely constituted by a chain.
As the two conveying means of a shelf channel are not coupled to each other, the danger exists that they are displaced relative to each other. One reason for such a displacement can consist in the fact that the first pallet is put in a skewed and/or offset manner onto the particular conveying means upon loading. Another reason for such a displacement is that the last pallet is unloaded in a skewed or offset manner. Such errors can add in time to a large relative offset between the two conveying means. Finally, this can lead to a situation in which stored goods rest not only on the chain, but partially on the rope interconnecting the free ends of the chain. It is understood that this is unwelcome and can lead to malfunctions and defects.
Thus, it is the object of the invention to suggest a conveying apparatus for shelf channels of shelf storage facilities that is put, upon unloading the last pallet, into a defined initial state in which both conveying means are aligned both with reference to each other as well as absolutely.